Ezekiel 3:21
"Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul."
One of the greatest things lacking in Christianity today is responsibility. Too many Christians want a Christianity that is nothing more than a religious penance that they pay once a week by going to church, and the rest of the week doing what they want. Christianity is far more than a penance. Because you are saved, you have a responsibility to others.
The Book of Ezekiel shows the Christian that God will hold them accountable for not fulfilling their responsibility. God expressly talks to the prophets and elders about their lack of fulfilling their responsibility. God told them that He would judge them because they didn't fulfill the responsibility given to them. Let me show you three areas where God plainly shows the Christian their responsibility.
First, a Christian has the responsibility to warn. Chapter 3 is a warning to Ezekiel to warn Israel of their sin. God said if he warned them, that their blood would not be on his hands; however, if Ezekiel chose not to warn the people, then when they died their blood would be on his hands. Christian, the last command that Jesus gave to His disciples was to warn people about their lost condition. It is interesting that God did not command us to save people, for that is not our responsibility. The responsibility of every Christian is to warn people about their lost condition. This takes the pressure off you when they don't receive the warning because you have done what you are supposed to do. Every day you pass by people whom you are to warn. Are you warning people of their lost condition and showing them how to be saved?
Second, a Christian has a responsibility to fill the gaps. Ezekiel 13:5 says, "Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD." Standing in the gap is interceding for others. In other words, it is your responsibility to pray for people. You are to stand in the gap between God and others and ask Him to help them in their time of need. I'm afraid many Christians fail in this area because many Christians don't have a prayer time. Do you have a daily time when you talk to God about the needs of others. Yes, you should pray for your own needs, but your prayer time should also be filled with prayers for others.
Third, a Christian has a responsibility to remove the stumblingblocks. Ezekiel 14:3 says, "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face..." This is simply removing the things from your life that would hinder you from warning others and getting your prayers answered. In other words, it is removing sin so that you have a better testimony to those you warn. It is removing sin, for sin will hinder your prayer as you try to stand in the gaps. If there is any reason why you should remove the sin in your life it is so that you can be a better witness and prayer warrior.
Let me ask you, are you fulfilling your responsibility as a Christian? When you do not fill your responsibility, others suffer. I challenge you to find a time every day when you can stand in the gap for others and pray for them. When you are around those who are lost, I challenge you to warn them of their condition. Don't be a Christian who is negligent of their responsibility, but be a Christian who realizes the privilege of being saved and the responsibility that comes with it.